FAMILY MKI.OI.ONTHIOjE. "JS 



The hiiirs, Imtli ajn-u the llionix ;iii(l elytra, are arranged in lour rallier iiitcrriijikd Ion- 

 gltudinal bells. Length eight- to uinc-tcnths of an iucli. 



This species I had nut ohservi-d in the vicinity of Alliuny till lhi> year, 1853 : many 

 individuals have been trtken. 



It in-«y be remarked thai most of tlic species of this genus are much alike, although 

 geu.Tally smaller than that figured. The color vari«>s from yello\v^^ll brown to chestnut, 

 according to the species. The breast is more or less hairy, and the elytra are in some cases 

 sparsidy fiirnislied with erect hairs. In the larva stale they feed upon the roots of grass, 

 and probably of grain, and tlnis tliey commit great havoc upon pastures, whilst the adult 

 insects live upon the foliage of various plants. 



These beetles are well known in the country by the name I'f /utmbugs, and Itecome 

 troublesome by flying info the open windows where a lamp is burning. Their proper name 

 is M.iy beetle, a designation implying the time of their apju-arance among u«. They are 

 injurious both in their larva and perfect states : in tlie former, by their depredations upon 

 the roots of grass and other herbage ; and in the latter, by the destruction of the young 

 and tender leaver of fruit and other trees. Thiyare supplied with strong jaws for cutting 

 the leaves of plants, f n- which thi'y are admirably fitteil ; and their feet are strong, and 

 fitted for digging in the soil after their transformations are effected. They were formerly 

 included in the Genus Meloloxtiia. 



Maybugs have rarely been suUiciently numerous to iuHict serious injury upon the 

 farmer : the Hon. Mr. Barlow, however, records an instance where they did much da 

 mage in Madison county, in 1819 and 50 ; they ate the leaves of the cherry, elm, ajjple, 

 butternut, etc., showing th:it they are by no means restricted to our cultivated fruit trees. 

 The m >st effectual method of destroying them was to kindle lares at night in the immediate 

 neighborhood of the trees they were injuring : attracted by tlie light of the blaze, thou- 

 sands were destroyed with little difliculty, or at a trifling c >st. Shaking the trees to dis- 

 lodge them, was an eflectual means of turning their attenti- n to the light. They appeareii 

 the last of May and first of June, and eoiitiiuied from eight to twelve days. 



Another instance is related by Dr. Fitcu in the Journal of the New-York State Agri- 

 cultural Society, where the Phyllophaga quercina appeared in great numbers and suddenly. 

 He states that on the farm of Mild Ingalsbe, an orchard, consisting of about seventy plum 

 together with many cherry trees, had their lindjs stripi)ed of leaves, buds, etc. while they 

 were in bloom : the bugs were hatched out in the course of two niglits, and complt»tely 

 destroyeil all hopes of fruit for the season, even if the trees tliemselves survived defoliation. 



Th • duration of the individual life of this insect is .short, a week or two being the terra 

 durin:; which it lives : there is, however, a succession of individuals of the species, so 

 that the piiriod which they remain is more than a month. After the pairing of the sexes, 



[ ACRICDLTUBAL RePOET Vol.. v.] 10 



